Read part 1 first! Find it here!

Did you read it? Are you just being lazy and skipping it? If yes to either of those questions, proceed.

Twang. Steve flinched. He wasn't dead. A second passed, and another. He opened his eyes, and looked up. A creeper was on the floor behind him, with an arrow through its face, with just the tip sticking out the back. The creeper was dead. Steve came to the realization that Awesome wasn't a troll, but a friend who would look out for him and protect him. He had saved Steve's life, not taken it. Steve stood up, and stalked away, trying to compose himself. He came back after a minute and said "I thought you were trying to kill me. You saved my life!" Awesome just smiled back. Steve remembered the button he had tripped over. It must have let out the creeper, with a murder mission. He hated those suicidal bombers. He grinned at Awesome and suggested they keep mining. They did, late into the night, and into the next day...

2 Years Later

Steve woke up, feeling refreshed. He remembered that this was the big day! He and Awesome were entering the invention contest! He sprang out of bed, and rushed around, getting on his iron chestplate and leather boots. He was so excited! He ran outside of his room, eyes closed in his ecstatic rush, and... fell to the floor in despair. His house was destroyed. He his room hadn't been touched, but outside was just miserable. Half of the walls were gone, and the ceiling was just a desolate patchwork of holes. His chests were emptied, except for a book that was entitled "You Just Got Griefed!" He shoved it in his inventory, his happiness completely gone. He had about as much joy as a bag of kittens that had just been slammed into a brick wall by a dump truck. The last time he had felt this grief, this rage... was when Awesome had betrayed him, or so he had thought. He couldn't be mistaken this time, though. There was lava in his living room and his belongings, or what was left of them, were strewn around the floor. He sent a message to Awesome, and sat on the floor, wishing to die. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed.
He had no redstone for the invention contest, that was the worst part of all. He would have to resign.

Awesome was surveying what was taken as Steve desperately mined for redstone. There were 30 minutes before the contest. 20 minutes. 15. 10. 5. Steve surfaced, with barely anything to show for his trip. He had found 11 redstone, not even enough to make a redstone gate. He and Awesome slowly walked to the contest, dreading their fate. This wasn't a contest that happened often. It was decennial. It only happened once every ten years. Ten years of waiting to enter again. Steve had never known such despair. He collapsed in grief. As they got to the contest, there was a shady figure that Steve had never encountered before, watching them, studying their actions. Steve was too distraught to care. They resigned from the contest, and went to Awesome's cave. Steve punched the floor in anger. He broke it, but Awesome understood, he was angry too.

Steve sat down, putting his feet in the hole. He put his face in his hands, trying to block the light. In a cave. Light in a cave, with no torches. Steve took his hands away. He Squealed, and told Awesome to get a pickaxe. He had struck gold. Well, redstone, anyway! Steve mined out Awesome's cave, and surfaced with 8 1/2 stacks of redstone and 1 1/2 stack of iron. They could do this! The ran back to the contest. The shady figure was still there, but Steve ignored him, rushing to the registration stand. The contest was already halfway done, but Steve was confident they could still finish. Awesome made and placed pistons while Steve placed redstone, and redstone blocks and torches. They were both experts, the best with redstone in the entire village. The half hour went as a blur, placing and placing and placing. They were such good friends, and so skilled that they already knew what the other was going to do. There were 5 minutes left, then 4, then 3, 2, 1. Steve placed the final button just as the countdown finished! Now all they could do was wait.

The judges seemed to take forever, although it was only 1 hour. It dragged on, and the seconds passed as minutes. Steve wished life would blur again. The shady figure was leaving quietly, and Steve finally was free to think. What was he doing here? He jumped with realization, knowing deep in his soul that this fiend was the man who griefed him. He followed him out when Awesome was turned away.

Steve trapped the man in an alley, and threatened him. He demanded his stuff back. The man claimed innocence, but Steve knew he was lying. Steve pulled out his Fire Aspect diamond sword, which he had because he slept with it for warmth, and prepared to show no mercy to the demon in front of him. The man backed into the wall, and realizing there was nowhere to run, confessed. He gave Steve's stuff back and begged for his life. Steve let him go, but remembered his name: ShadowFlame. It sounded evil just in itself. He knew he would see the man again.

He rushed back to the contest just in time for the winning announcement. "Where were you! I had to demonstrate all by myself!" Steve just shrugged, and said "Away." Awesome scowled. Third place was a redstone clock that powered a lottery system. Second was a working currency machine, assigning value to items, and would be used in the future as a payment and trade system. First place was... to be announced in five minutes. "AGH!" Screamed Steve.

The 5 minutes passed, and the announcement was there. First place was: a working rocket, made with TNT. Steve and Awesome felt Decimated. They had failed. They had to wait another 10 years to enter. They were completely destroyed, and wanted to give up. Then, Steve remembered! He had included an extra easter egg that he hadn't told Awesome about. Their invention was also a rocket, but much larger. This was the reason it didn't win. The reason it was larger, though was because it wasn't a rocket for humans alone. It could also manufacture and launch iron golems! The other people had seen their design, and created a more compact version, thinking it would get them a win. Steve confronted the judges with these things, and the judges gave them first place! The first place prize was 16 diamond blocks! Steve was overjoyed! He used them to pay for a mansion for him and Awesome to live in, and of course, used his machine to create a guard dog for the mansion. Well, guard golem. He and Awesome lived in peace, at least for a while! Although there was that one time... Nevermind, that's another story for another time!

Part 3 is available here